We have heard bits and pieces about the upcoming BlackBerry Shield, but nothing very solid as of yet. Today BBNews.pl dropped a few images as well as some features to be included. The service will be free for BIS users and is said to be entering the testing phase "soon". Features look to include:

Remote Device Wipe - Users will be able to remove all data from the device and memory card remotely

Display 'Lost & Found' - Information to display on screen should the device be lost or stolen

Remote Password - Ability to remotely set a password for the device

Device Tracking - Remotely track your device via GPS

Remote Backup - Backup/restore of the device data

Both the web interface (above) and mobile interface (after the jump) look very user friendly. Certainly there will be a few more features thrown into the mix, but this is definitely a good start. Still no official word on when this will pop up in either beta or public form, but from the looks of things it shouldn't be too much longer (in RIM time anyway). More pics after the break.

If rim "shield" has remote call fwd, that would be great...otherwise, I'm keeping my SmrtGuard!! I always forget my BB at home and realize that at work...SmrtGuard let's me remote call fwd all calls to my office and remote backup so I can remote check my email! hahah

Wow, I never knew of that feature. That's pretty cool. I really do feel bad for SMRTguard (although, I hate how they spell "smart"). The founder really put his whole life into that company, and RIM came in and stole his idea. Great for us BB owners, but I still feel bad.

Thats life.. and how "standards" are set. When a company redeseigns a product, they look for what other applications have done and whats out there and they make these "apps" native features in a product. YOu think Windows 7 and all its features were cooked up inhouse? MSFT put all the applications which gave "Shake", "Swipe, "gestures" "hottags" etc out of business when it released 7. Same with BB, same with 99% of the companies.

Just posted another comment...but SmrtGuard yearly is so worth it. Think, will you have still have a BB in the next 6 to 9 months? If you are thinking about switching to Android, SmrtGuard might be the right move!

Looks nice, I knew the day would come, and fortunately I've done better than break even on Wheres My Phone. It would have been nice if RIM would at least kept the "playing field" even by exposing a "real" device wipe API to developers.
-Scott (WheresMyPhone developer)

Regardless of if there's other applications out there who do the same thing, it's a big deal to me that they're creating a free native app for it. There are MANY smartphone users who aren't addicts and who don't check out the latest and greatest apps, and may not even know this option is available to them, so having it natively on the phone is a big deal, if you ask me.

I think RIM is stepping up in a big way if this is an indication of things to come for the Blackberry faithful. This is a substantive offering that beats releasing a shiny new toy or cute GUI.
After all, Blackberry is all about substance over style aren't they? Although they are beginning to make great strides in the style department too.

I've been using buddy guard and it works great. It's a free app and allows you to lock & locate the phone remotely. Also, you can make it play a loud chirp to help you find it if you've lost it in your house...

I can't believe I'm about to say this but, as a user of SmartGuard for the past year, I've really come to appreciate and rely on this app. Now, with a potentially free app just around the corner, offering the same thing it appears, the Smart Guard folks have to be churning in their seats. Competition is a good thing, but when "the big boys" step on the little guys with free or price stomping prices, it's no longer fun and monopolies begin to form. I'm a champion of the little guy and, unless SG can come up with an alternative that makes their app worthy of a fee, they'll be out of business. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in their offices. Good luck guys, I look forward to your response!

Huh, my otterbox defender holster did me the honor of releasing my beloved Storm2 into the wild outdoors about a week ago. Wish this app had been available then. Much better than the 90 bucks I paid asurion after a 2 1/2 hour slog through the woods failed to find it....

All I got were mosquito bites and ticks....

But at least I know that wherever it is, it is safe and sound inside its otterbox, lol.

Assuming that this associates the device via its PIN, and considering it's going to be native, sounds like it would be much better than SmrtGuard. Now all we need is the remote backup/restore, and SmrtGuard would no longer be needed the way I see it. Can't wait for this feature to come out :-D

Edit: Wait a sec, I do see a "backup/restore" option on that screen capture. This is going to be the sweetest for sure whenever it does end up to coming out.

My whole family (wife, self, daughter) has SmrtGuard on our smartphone. Wife just went from Storm 2 to DROID, and SmrtGuard was there for her! Restore contacts, call logs, sms...etc right to her new DROID.

I still love my BlackBerry Tour, but when I want to switch to another type of smartphone, I doubt RIM will help me on that... ;)

I put a password in my blackberry and i forgot the password and after trying to unluck the computer for 10 times, it erased all my information from my phone. Please help me on hoe to retrieve my old information as far as pictures and emails and telephone numbers

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